"Ugh," Kelly groaned, opening her eyes and immediately regretting it. Her alarm was blaring obnoxiously beside her bed, but for some reason today, it sounded like a jackhammer drilling into her skull.
All that noise, and it couldn't even wake her up from a nightmare? Seriously, what good was a stupid clock if it couldn't even do its job?
Her eyes fluttered as she squinted at the time.
7:28 AM.
Perfect. She could definitely sleep for another ten minutes.
But then, like a slap in the face, something snapped in her brain.
It's 7 AM, it's 7 AM, it's 7 AM. The words bounced around her head like an echo in a cave.
She scrambled out of her tangled duvet, diving straight for the bathroom like a Olympic athlete on a caffeine high. "Crap, I'm freaking late!"
She washed up in record time, threw on a blue designer shirt that screamed "I don't try too hard but still look fabulous," paired it with dark trousers, and slipped into some black sneakers. A full-on fashion show in five minutes. She was practically a superhero, except the villain today was her own mother's lack of responsibility.
She stormed out of her room, ready to give her parents a piece of her mind. How could they be irresponsible enough to make this happen. She deserved an explanation!
She stormed into the living room where the noise level could rival a football stadium. Her two best friends were there, eating breakfast with the rest of the family.
Hold up. What? What were they doing here so late? Shouldn't they be at school? Or was she now the bad influence? Suddenly, Kelly didn't feel very comfortable.
Her dad was mid-rant about his so-called "navy officer" days, claiming he once wrestled a shark colonel. No joke. He said he dived into the ocean to save a bunch of sailors, wrestled a shark and the colonel, and came out with a victory. It was the most absurd thing she'd ever heard, and that was saying a lot, considering her dad's tales.
The more he talked, the more outlandish it got. Next, he'd probably say he met King Neptune, stole his trident, and used it as a toothpick.
Her mom was cheering him on like he was an actual hero. Lizzy and Belle were nodding in all the right places like they believed every word.
Kelly glanced at Belle, who looked like she was ready to take notes on her dad's "shark wrestling skills." Her wide eyes and slack jaw confirmed her worst fear—Belle believed him. Oh no. She wasn't that naive, was she?
Oh. She totally was.
Kelly made a beeline for the table and grabbed an apple, taking a bite with the kind of satisfaction only sugar could bring.
Her dad stopped mid-sentence when he saw her. Her mom frowned like she was the one who'd been caught skipping out on a lecture. Lizzy and Belle tilted their heads, obviously wondering what kind of chaos Kelly was about to unleash.
Kelly raised an eyebrow, clutching the apple to her chest like it was a priceless artifact. "The apple's mine!" she yelled, glaring at them like they were about to steal her lunch.
Her dad frowned. "Aren't you late for school? You were ranting about some project due at 7 AM today."
Kelly's stomach dropped. She'd completely forgotten about the project. Weeks of work—gone in an instant. Thanks to that stupid dream.
She swallowed hard, trying to maintain her cool. This is not the time to lose it.
With a deep breath, Kelly casually waved her hand. "Of course, old man. I had Cole submit it for me. Trust your daughter for once, will you?"
Lizzy and Belle gave her a look, clearly not buying it, but they kept quiet and focused on their breakfast.
Her mom looked relieved. "Of course we trust you, darling. Don't worry about it. Come eat some breakfast."
Now Kelly felt guilty. That wasn't supposed to happen. She wasn't supposed to feel guilty.
Unable to handle any more of this, she walked over to her two best friends, who were pretending to be engrossed in their cereal. She grabbed them by the shoulders and dragged them up.
"Hey, can you believe it's 8 AM? Good students like us can't afford to be this late for school. We have to set an example for the juniors. Right, guys?"
As she marched them toward the door, Lizzy and Belle shot her glares like she was the world's worst human being. If there were two people in this world who hated school lectures more than Kelly did, it was those two. And that was an impressive feat.
"Goodbye, girls. Have fun in school!" her dad called, waving enthusiastically.
Kelly groaned. She never got a "goodbye," but her dad did it for them?
"Bye, Mr. Drexler! Bye, Mrs. Drexler!" Lizzy waved back with a giggle, clearly enjoying her moment in the spotlight.
"Don't forget the chocolate doughnuts when we come over tomorrow!" Belle added before Kelly could drag her out the door.
Kelly's eyes narrowed. Who does she think is going to make those? Her mom was lazy and would probably dump the responsibility on her. Kelly shot Belle a look of pure resentment.
Getting into the Porsche, Kelly slumped into the backseat, glaring out the window as if the universe itself was conspiring against her. She had been awake for five minutes, and already, her life had turned into a disaster.
"Hey, girl," Lizzy called from the front, breaking her thoughts as she started the car. "What's got you so worked up? It's not that time of the month, is it?"
"Stop imagining nonsense," Kelly snapped, but the blush creeping up her face betrayed her true feelings. Some things, even between best friends, were better left unsaid.
"I know what it is!" Belle piped up from the backseat, practically bouncing with glee. "My baby's excited because of her boyfriend! You can't stop thinking about the surprise Cole said he'd give you in the cafeteria, right? Right?"
Kelly sat up straighter, trying to channel her inner independent woman. "Well, what can I say? My boyfriend's one in a billion. I don't want either of you bitches anywhere near him. He's mine!"
Lizzy shook her head, smirking. "Yeah, definitely a yandere."
-----
Lectures were a bore, and Kelly was practically starving. Combine that with her loathing of mental exercises, and she looked like a fish that had just woken up from a nap on dry land, struggling to wait for lunch.
She'd already left the class a good thirty seconds before the bell rang. She speed-walked past Mr. Bryan, the Biology teacher, who had drilled several holes into her back with his stare. She didn't even care. The man was as thrilling as watching paint dry.
Now, at the cafeteria, she shoved peas into her mouth like they were the last food on earth. Alongside her, Lizzy and Belle watched in stunned silence. Kelly was a beast at lunch. No grace. No etiquette. Just raw, unfiltered hunger.
Her ravenous appetite didn't escape notice, especially from the "elite" crowd that surrounded their table. You know the type: the ones who wear their scandalous exploits like trophies and trade stories about who they made out with last night.
Jake, the hockey captain, slammed his fist on the table, his voice booming across the cafeteria. "I took Mia by the waist and swam to the edge of the pool where the lights were off. She felt my abs and begged me to… well, you know."
A few of the guys high-fived him, grinning like they had just won the Super Bowl.
"Did you go for it, Jake?" Kyle asked, practically drooling with admiration.
Jake's smug grin was so over-the-top, it could've powered the school for a year. "Well, a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do."
The guys erupted into cheers, clinking their plastic cups like they'd just accomplished the impossible. Kelly rolled her eyes. Boys, as always, were the dumbest creatures on the planet. Except Cole, of course. She pushed that thought aside. Where was he, anyway?
"Captain," someone called. Kelly turned to see Gina hesitating like a deer caught in headlights.
"My cousin from Dallas wants to try out for the cheerleading team, will you let him? Pretty please?"
Belle, not even looking up from her finger, shot back. "Auditions are closed, Gina. We're full."
Kelly sighed. Belle couldn't even say no with conviction. She was soft. Too soft. She needed to toughen up.
"Please, bosses. Just watch him once," Gina begged. "Trust me, it'd be a mistake not to."
Kelly took a slow sip of her orange juice, eyeing Gina with a raised brow. "Can he shake his booty?"
"Hey!" Fin, the quarterback, scowled. "Don't insult the brotherhood. How can you say that about a guy?"
Kelly quirked an eyebrow. "Are you telling me only women can shake their booties?"
The girls at the table turned and stared at Fin like he'd just walked in wearing a tutu.
Fin, looking increasingly like a deer caught in headlights, managed a weak smile. "Of course not. I— I shake my booty in the bathroom, you know, just for fun. Hahaha."
Kelly's eyes narrowed.
"Of course, Captain. In fact, his booty-shaking skills are A-grade," Gina said.
The girls gasped. Kelly's gaze hardened. She wanted to see this for herself. She knew they all did. What kind of talent was this? She couldn't resist. She had to know.
"Tell him to meet me at the theater after school," Kelly said, nodding her approval.
Just then, a weird hush fell over the cafeteria. Kelly's head snapped up, sensing something was off. She was about to ask what was happening when Lizzy grabbed her hand.
"Did you and Cole break up?" Lizzy asked, her voice shaky.
Kelly blinked, confused. "What? No. Why would we? We're in love."
Belle shot her a wary look. "Kelly… we should leave."
But before Kelly could ask why everyone was acting weird, she got her answer.
Cole strolled into the cafeteria, his hand around the waist of a blonde girl with piercing light brown eyes and an… enthusiastic backside. His hand was literally in her back pocket.
The air left Kelly's lungs. Was this… was this the "gift" Cole had promised her? No. This wasn't real. It couldn't be.
Cole waved in front of her face with a grin. "Did you just zone out on me, honey?"
The room was so still, it felt like time had stopped. People's phones were already raised, recording what was about to be an epic meltdown.
Kelly's thoughts scrambled. Her heart pounded. "Who is she?"
But before Cole could answer, the blonde stepped forward, grinning like she had just won a prize. "Hey, I'm Amaya," she said, smiling far too warmly. "I'm in a girl band called 'The Hotties.' Cole thought it'd be cute to introduce me to his little plaything here at school. But looking at you now, I have to say, you deserve him. Be proud, honey, I approve."
Kelly felt her stomach drop. The dizziness returned, and her mind spun. She wanted to scream, but it was as if her voice had evaporated.
"Oh, I see," Lizzy scoffed. "Cole must be one of your boy toys, huh? Here we all thought he was a man."
Cole barely acknowledged the comment. He leaned in and kissed Amaya, his lips devouring hers as if he were starved.
Kelly froze. Rage—pure, untamed rage—boiled up from her chest. It burned. She felt like a volcano, ready to erupt. The ringing in her ears intensified, a relentless, maddening sound. Her vision blurred, and her hands went to her ears, but no one seemed to notice her pain.
The whispers came. Dark, seductive, compelling whispers.
He needs to die.
Kill him.
You have it in you, find that power.
Kill. Kill. Kill...
Kelly's surroundings blurred as confusion tightened around her mind. What was that voice? It slid into her thoughts, seductive and impossibly smooth, like the scent of sizzling food—too tempting, too intoxicating. It was a whisper that promised satisfaction, like the first taste of something so forbidden, it could make you moan in pleasure without a second thought.
The voice pressed in harder, louder now, but Kelly fought to shove it away. Deep inside, there was a sickening certainty: I could do it. I could kill him.
No! She couldn't. She wouldn't. She didn't want to hurt anyone. Not him. Not anyone. Go away, go away, please...
Just as the voice threatened to swallow her whole, a familiar sound broke through her fog of thoughts. "Hey." Cole's voice dragged her back to reality, his tone smirking, taunting. "You don't have to feel bad, Kells. It's not like we went all the way. Maybe next time, you'll be worthy enough to be my cock buddy."
Kelly's insides twisted, but it was no longer anger she felt—it was a ravenous, desperate urge. She couldn't suppress it anymore. She wanted him dead.
Dead. Dead. Dead!
A strange sensation stirred deep within her chest, unfamiliar and cold. It seeped outwards, crawling across her skin like ice. Her teeth clenched, her body trembling as the chill reached her cheeks—and then her eyes. Kelly didn't know how, but she felt it deep in her bones—if she wanted him dead, he needed to look into her eyes. It wasn't a choice. It was something darker, something primal.
And in that moment, Kelly's mind snapped. The world blurred, the whispers grew louder.
Her gaze fixed on Cole, still grinning, oblivious to the storm building behind her eyes. Then—his smile faltered.
Cole's legs wobbled, his body shaking. A blood-curdling scream ripped from his throat. The sound was raw, primal—enough to make the air freeze. His eyes bulged, as if seeing something horrific—something that drove him mad.
Before anyone could move, before anyone could process what was happening, blood began to pour from his eyes. It was a flood, a torrential stream splattering onto the marble floor, pooling into a grotesque puddle.
"Ba- Babe," Amaya stammered, her voice cracking.
But Cole didn't answer. His eyes rolled from their sockets, and with a sickening thud, his body crumpled to the floor.
For a moment, the cafeteria was paralyzed in shock. Every phone remained raised, capturing the horror that unfolded before them. Silence held the room captive.
Then—BAM. The bell for the end of lunch rang.
It was the signal.
And just like that, all hell broke loose.